HCC vs. South Plains College

Comparable Facts

Compare Houston Community College in Houston, TX with South Plains College in Levelland, TX on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Houston Community College is larger than South Plains College based on total student enrollment (53,253 students vs. 9,098 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Houston Community College is located in Houston, TX (Large City setting); South Plains College is in Levelland, TX (Distant Town setting).
• Houston Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. South Plains College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Houston Community College 23:1; South Plains College 16:1.

HCC vs. South Plains College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, HCC or South Plains College? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Houston Community College than South Plains College ($5,734 vs. $6,494).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at South Plains College are 41.3% lower than at Houston Community College ($5,481 vs. $9,330).
• South Plains College is 9.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than HCC (about $427 more per year; $4,771.00 vs. $4,344.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 5.9% higher at HCC than at South Plains College (about $305 more per year; $5,460.00 vs. $5,155.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at South Plains College than at Houston Community College (78% vs. 69%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by South Plains College students is 5.1% larger than aid received by Houston Community College students ($7,114 vs. $6,768).

HCC vs. South Plains College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, HCC or South Plains College? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between South Plains College and HCC.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: HCC - Open admission; South Plains College - Open admission.

HCC vs. South Plains College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for HCC and South Plains College? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• Graduates from South Plains College earn a median of about $1,100 more per year than HCC graduates about ten years after starting college ($39,300 vs. $38,200), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, South Plains College and HCC graduates have the same median loan debt ($10,500 vs. $10,500).
• Among borrowers in the federal data, South Plains College and HCC graduates have the same median monthly federal student loan payment ($108 vs. $108).
• More South Plains College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former HCC students, three years after graduation. (40% vs. 25%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.